A community effort saves Levee Mom Dog and Pups, but Dad still needs help

This is the first in a series of “Spotlight” articles we hope will shine a light on our Animal Advocacy Partners, Animal Services, and individual rescuers. The story below is a great example of what we can do when we all work together. It takes a village, after all.

Since June of 2011, area dog lovers and a handful of independent rescuers had been tracking, feeding and trying to rescue a scruffy, yellow female street dog they called “Levee Dog”. Levee Dog got her name because her home territory was off Industrial Blvd. near the Trinity River Levees. Levee Dog had given birth to several litters of unwanted puppies, but despite their best efforts, no one had been able to catch the street-smart dog.

This past Saturday, January 14th, Levee Dog’s luck changed. Local rescuer and “dog whisperer” Jean-Paul Bonnelly, and independent rescuer Rekka Melby, discovered Levee Dog had given birth to yet another litter of puppies. This time she’d hidden them underneath a metal building located within eye-shot of the Hilton Anatole hotel. Levee Dog knew that someone had discovered where her puppies were hidden, so rescuers had to act fast before she moved them. All seven of the 5-6 week old Shepherd mixes were crammed into the corner of shallow space underneath a large metal building. JP called Dallas Animal Services, who in turn called the Dallas Fire Department, as it had become apparent there was no way to rescue the puppies without their help. Around the same time Dallas Animal Services was on the phone with the fire department, Metroplex Animal Coalition’s president Elaine Munch put a call into Police Department Lieutenant Lt. Scott Walton, who also contacted the the fire department.

DFD to the Rescue. Photo: JP Bonnelly

Not one, but two DFD Trucks quickly rolled out to the scene. Fire Department personnel inserted and then inflated rescue air bags under the building, raising it just enough to allow JP and Rekka to reach in and rescue all seven puppies.

But they weren’t done. JP set and baited a humane dog trap to see if he could catch the momma Levee Dog. It took a while, but eventually she took the bait, and after six months of eluding capture, Levee Dog was caught. So, eight dogs are now off the streets and safe in rescue through a great cooperative effort of community rescuers, DAS and DFD.

There’s just one last thing, though. There’s a Levee Dad as well. He watched the events unfold that day, even laying next to the momma Levee Dog once she was trapped. But now his whole family is gone and he is alone. JP feels confident he can catch Levee Dad, but first he needs a foster home where Levee Dad can live until adopted. Can anyone offer to take Daddy into rescue or to foster, so JP and Rekka can go back and rescue him, too?